Home description

This centrally heated gite, entered by a courtyard, sleeps 10 people + cot in 1 king, 1 double and 3 twin bedrooms. Excellent décor and comfort. Well-equipped kitchen. Large walled grounds and copse, and a swimming-pool 11x5 m² with paddling area. Large secure garage. In a historic village, the house is private and not overlooked. Carcassonne 4 kms. Airport and autoroute 6-8 kms.

Le Domaine du Colombier is probably one of the oldest buildings in Pennautier. We are told that it used to be a monastery, but there is no evidence of this in the present structure. It is situated in the old part of the village, a short walk from the shops, bar, theatre and other local facilities. The property is detached, set in its own grounds and not overlooked. It consists of the main house with central heating, south-facing gardens, a large swimming-pool and a ‘parc’ of conifers and bamboo overlooking the village. From the little road to Aragon, large metal gates lead to the courtyard from which you enter the house.

The ground floor of the house consists of the hallway with telephone; living-room; large kitchen/dining-room; sun-room and study; a W.C. with basin; a lobby for coats etc.; and a small scullery with the central heating boiler, washing-machine and large second fridge. The living-room has comfortable seating, satellite television, radio/CD/cassette, and a DVD player with 100 films for those rare wet days. Its window looks on to the courtyard. The spacious kitchen is very well equipped with a large fridge, microwave, electric oven, separate electric hob and plenty of work space and cupboard storage. The large dining-table seats ten people with ease. The sun-room leads off the kitchen and is a long south-facing room with casual seating. At one end of the sunroom, a small study containing a desk and a large shelved cupboard leads to the scullery with its washing-machine and second large fridge.

Porte-fenetres lead from the sun-room on to the front terrace, again south-facing. The terrace offers outdoor seating and a large dining table. It overlooks the garden, described below, and is part-shaded by a mimosa tree.

The first floor has one large bedroom with a king-size bed and an en suite bathroom containing a bath, shower and wash-basin. The second double bedroom, again spacious, has windows on two sides and a separate closet for hanging clothes. It has a telephone also. A corridor leads to the three twin bedrooms, two of which overlook the courtyard, the third looking out over the gardens towards the village and its parish church. All the bedrooms are well provided with wardrobe and drawer space. Apart from the en suite facilities, the main bathroom contains a bath, shower, W.C. and double wash-basin. There is another W.C. with wash-basin and shower on this floor, making three W.C.s, three showers and two baths in the property as a whole. A travel cot and push-chair are provided.

The garden extends across the length of the property, overlooked by the terrace. It contains some old and attractive trees and shrubs, together with many which we have recently planted. The grassed area is spacious with ample outdoor seating. There is a barbecue in a paved area immediately below the terrace. A gate leads to the ‘parc’ of conifers and bamboo, from which there are fine views of the village and the Pyrenees beyond. In the parc is situated a gazebo and the large swimming-pool, 11x5 metres with an extended shallow paddling area (3x3 metres) and wide seating area. The pool conforms to recent French legislation regarding health and safety in swimming-pools.

There is a lockable garage which can take three cars.

The standard of décor, furnishings, equipment and general comfort in the house is very high. Obviously some of the newly planted shrubs in the garden will take time to reach maturity, but otherwise our recent renovation of the property and its proximity to the village itself and to Carcassonne render Le Colombier an ideal holiday location.

Accommodation detail

Sleeps 10 + cot and pushchair

Ground floor:

• Hallway with telephone.
• Comfortable living room with satellite TV, DVD player, radio/cassette.  Many books & DVDs.
• Kitchen with electric oven & hob, large fridge, dishwasher, microwave.  Washing-machine and second large fridge in the scullery.
• Wash-room with W.C. Pushchair.
• Sun-room and ‘study’ leading onto the spacious south-facing terrace.

First floor:

• 5 bedrooms - 1 king bedroom with en suite bath & shower. 1 double bedroom. 3 twin bedrooms. Telephone. Cot.
• Bathroom with bath, shower & W.C.
• Separate shower & W.C.

Swimming-pool and grounds:

• Large swimming-pool (5x11 ms) with paddling area and large patio, fenced for security. 
• Gardens and copse with gazebo, south-facing views over the village towards the Pyrénees.  Swing, barbecue, external dining terrace.
• Entrance to the house is through an elegant courtyard.
• Large secure garage for three cars.

About the location

The Village and region

Pennautier is a village with a population of around 2300, two and a half miles to the north-west of Carcassonne. Although new houses are being built in its periphery, the old centre of the village retains its identity, dating back to the Middle Ages and beyond. The church dominates the heart of Pennautier, surrounded by narrow streets and alleyways. Below the church flows the river Fresquel, past the estate of the impressive Chateau de Pennautier and its newly renovated restaurant. In the village itself, there is a baker, butcher, post office, general store, one or two bars, and a pizzeria as well as several other small shops and businesses. Mobile shops visit the village frequently. Wine produced by the Chateau de Pennautier is of high quality and not expensive. The village lies about five miles from the nearest autoroute junction and Carcassonne airport, and about half a mile from the Route Nationale N113 between Narbonne and Toulouse. There are regular flights from Stansted and other UK airports to Carcassonne.

Pennautier is regarded as the centre of Troubadour culture in France. The European Centre for the Troubadours is situated in the village and offers information about this important medieval cultural movement as well as concerts, exhibitions and other events. The troubadours created a new form of secular poetic expression, singing in the Occitan language of ‘amor, joi e joven’ (love, joy and youth), marking the beginning of modern European literature and helping to enhance the social status of women.  The village also boasts its own theatre with a regular programme of musical and dramatic performances.

To the north of the village lies the western shoulder of the Montagne Noire, the last bastion of the Massif Central. Quiet country roads lead through wooded uplands to attractive villages such as Montolieu with its many bookshops, Saissac with its 14th. century fortress and Revel whose nearby lakes feed the Canal du Midi. The spectacular village of Aragon is a short drive to the north of Pennautier. The Canal du Midi itself lies in the valley beyond the Route Nationale. The tow-path affords pleasant walks under the plane trees, and boat trips can be arranged in Carcassonne and elsewhere.

Carcassonne is the most frequently visited places in France outside Paris. The largest fortified medieval city in Europe, it stands magnificent on its hill 150 metres above the river Aude. Restored in the last century, it is a dream of the perfect medieval city with its three kilometres of ramparts, thirty-five defensive towers, its moat, Viscount's castle and basilica. The river Aude rises in the Cerdagne beyond Mont-Louis and flows towards Carcassonne through dramatic gorges either side of Axat and past Alès les Bains and Limoux, home of the famous sparkling Blanquette wine. After Carcassonne, its course turns to the east towards the sea.

Several historic cathedral cities are within easy reach, including Montpellier, Béziers, Castres, Albi, Narbonne, Perpignan, Toulouse and St. Pons de Thomières. By autoroute the coastal resorts of Gruissan and Narbonne Plage are less than an hour’s drive away. Local beaches recently received a European award for cleanliness.

See Local guide and map for information on nearby towns and facilities.

How to get here

By air: to Carcassonne airport about 5 miles away; or Toulouse, Perpignan, Girona, Montpellier airports.

By autoroute: exit at Carcassonne ouest, follow the green 'Toulouse' signs, turn right off the RN113 to Pennautier.

Full directions and keys will be sent to you in advance.

Nearest Airport: Carcassonne.
Distance from nearest Airport: About 5 miles.
Distance from Beach: About 45 miles, mostly autoroute.
Distance from Golf Course: About 7 miles. Excellent.
Distance from Ski Slopes: About 50 miles.

See Local guide and map for information on nearby towns and airports.

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Facilities

Facility	Details
Type	Village House (Self-catering)
Bedrooms	2 double, 3 twin
Baby cots	1
Bathrooms	3 bathroom(s)
Separate toilets	2
Capacity	10
Living Area	150 m²
Suitability	Non-smoking, Suitable for children
Linen	Bed Linen and towels provided.
Changeover day	Saturday

Facility	Details
Internal facilities	CD player, Central heating (oil), DVD player, Electric heaters, English satellite TV, Fans in rooms, Hairdryer, Owner not on site, Radio, TV, Telephone
Kitchen facilities	Cooker, Dishwasher, Electric hob, Electric oven, Freezer, Fridge, Fridge-Freezer, Ironing facilities, Microwave, Washing machine
External features on site	Barbecue, Garden, Scenic views, Swimming pool, Swimming pool (exclusive use)
Other	Our copse has a gazebo where you can sit and admire the view over the village to the Pyrsenees beyond. Along with other villages in the area, Pennautier has a piano festival in August. There are musical and dramatic performances at the village theatre.  The sports hall offers a wide variety of activities.  We can arrange an introduction to the scenic golf course at Carcassonne.  There is wonderful walking country in the Cabardes and Montagne Noire to the north.  Cabardes wine is of high quality.

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Additional price information

There is a £50 surcharge for single-week bookings to cover partially the extra cleaning costs. £50pw will be charged for access to the swimming-pool in May or October when it is normally closed. Each week is charged the rate for the month in which its first Saturday falls. Rates are not 'per person', but rather for the use of the house. Electricity costs are included in the rent during the summer months. At other times, other arrangements may be negotiated which may entail meter-reading etc. We do not require a damage deposit, trusting our visitors to respect the effort which went into making this property so comfortable and welcoming. A provisional booking may be made but it must be confirmed or cancelled within a week of being made. The deposit is payable on confirmation of booking. The balance is payable 6 weeks before your holiday. A sterling or euro cheque is acceptable, payable to Mr. & Mrs. Jay and addressed to 11 Moray Place, Glasgow G41 2BA. Please let us know if you wish to pay by bank transfer. In the event of a cancellation, the deposit will be returned only if the period is re-let, minus any advertising costs incurred. A cancellation after the payment of the balance will incur the loss of the deposit and balance. The telephone accepts calls from anywhere, but outgoing calls are restricted to the local area. We cover telephone costs. Visitors must inform us beforehand if they intend to use the telephone line for internet access, so that we can agree coverage of the dial-up costs. Ten (+cot) is the maximum number of people allowed to stay in the house at any one time. Changeovers are normally on Saturdays, but off-season we can be more flexible in this regard. All linen is provided, including hand- and bath-towels, but you should bring your own cot sheets and towels for use on the beach or the terrace. We expect visitors to clean and do washing in the course of their holiday and not leave piles of dirty washing when they leave - Norma has enough cleaning to do in her six hours. We expect all our visitors to leave the house clean and tidy. Cleaning during your stay may be arranged at your expense. No smoking is permitted within the house. Visitors are asked also to let Phil, our neighbour, or ourselves know if they find anything broken or not working, so that we can put it right. No smoking is permitted within the house. We do not permit pets into the house. The travel cot is in one of the twin bedrooms. We can provide at least two pushchairs and a high-chair on prior request. We shall send you one or more copies of the front-door keys before the beginning of your holiday. Please send them back to us in the stamped, addressed envelope on your return. Keys to other doors are to be found in the house. The normal arrangements are that visitors arrive at the house after 4.00 p.m. on their first Saturday and leave before 10.00 a.m. on their final morning.

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